There has been much heated debate in the Swamp these last few months, concerning the history of cheez whiz in early 13th century Southwestern Bulgaria, particularly the years 1211 through 1217. Having done extensive research for a future Complete Anachronist (tentatively titled: Cheez Whiz Through the Ages) I have decided to reprint some of it here, in the hopes that it will help calm the tempers that have been flaring as of late.
The earliest depiction of cheez whiz in Bulgaria is of course from the famous Bulgar Wheat Book of Hours of 1211. The illuminators, finding themselves bored with the task at hand, took to drawing 'doodles' of wheat crackers with a yellowish, wormy substance on them. These drawings, after much debate, are now believed to be the earliest representations of this culinary delicacy. Medieval cheese scholars across the world have determined that not only are the illuminations undoubtedly of cheez whiz, but some of the depictions actually gain their color from the long lasting substance. It was this startling discovery made by the Rutgers University Nabisco Medieval Cheese department in 1987, that convinced the skeptics that these illuminations were indeed, of cheez whiz.
But more importantly, one of the most exciting developments in the history of early 13th century Southwestern Bulgarian cheez whiz (between the years of 1211 and 1217) is the actual, written mention of the substance in the now famous Bible of the Bulge of 1213. It is on Leaf 38, between the depiction of the crucifixion of Christ and the description of the desecration of the sacred Pomegranate, that the scribe refers to the eating of a mid-afternoon snack which consisted of stale bagels and 'le whiz a la fromage'. For many years this was thought to be a hoax, primarily due to the fact that this one line in a Bulgarian document was written in French. But in the early 70's ink date testing confirmed that this line was indeed written between 1200 and 1218 (give or take 276 years either way). The mystery prevailed until 1993 when La Institute de la Fromagerie et at in Paris came across a little known tome from the area of Pickle on the Rheine. The book, a diary of the Known World travels of Ghrdskpchrtsfflrdch of Wales, has an entry on page 93 wherein our intrepid traveler mentions the odd belief of the Bulgarians that cheez whiz was thought to have originated In France. Therefore, as a matter of respect (or more likely, snobbery) it was most often referred to in it's 'native tongue' . This discovery put to rest what had been described as the 'greatest cheez whiz hoax of all time'. Happily, it was not a hoax. Sadly, the French, taking offense at the accusation that they invented cheez whiz, to this day still ban the import of Bulgarian dairy products.
But the best was yet to come.
All pictures and text
Copyright 2003
Originally appeared in
The Mudpuppy
Newsletter of The Barony of Settmour Swamp
Contact the
Chronicler
about the newsletter.
Contact the
Webmaster
about this website.